Utterly Scrummy Food For Families: 01/05/2018

Monday, 28 May 2018

OUR FAMILY MEAL PLAN FOR WEEK OF 28/05/18 - £74

It's half term week for us this week. On Monday my husband is taking our 3 older girls to see the new Star Wars movie and I'll be taking our 3yo son to the park for some play time. Tuesday there's a forest trip for our 11yo, Wednesday is messy playgroup morning for 3yo, and Friday there's an event on at our local museum which will suit all ages. Planning half term activities for everyone, that are low cost and suit vastly different ages, is a real challenge.

We've got some delicious lettuces and salad greens ready to pick from our back garden, as well as fresh herbs so we'll definitely be using some of them this week. I've harvested more rhubarb and baked it so that will be used for breakfasts.

Breakfasts will be fairly relaxed most days. Granola with yoghurt and fruit or wholemeal toast and spread with a piece of fruit for afters. There will of course be pancakes or waffles over the weekend.

Lunches

I've deliberately made lunches really filling and substantial to cut down on snacking. All of the lunches are suitable for eating at home or putting in a packed lunch for my husband to take to work or for us to take on an outing.

Traffic Light Rice and Beans

2 Tblsp vegetable oil
4 spring onions, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ cups long grain rice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin
3 cups/750ml water, ideally from a freshly boiled kettle
400ml coconut milk
Several stalks of fresh thyme
1 pepper, any colour will do
2 carrots, peeled, grated
400g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
200g frozen peas, defrosted

Heat a saucepan over medium/high heat. Add your oil and saute the spring onion and garlic for a minute, stirring constantly. Add the rice and spices, and stir well to make sure the rice is coated in the oil. Cook for a couple of minutes until the spices are fragrant.

Carefully tip in the coconut milk and water, stir until combined before adding the sprigs of thyme. Reduce the heat under the saucepan to low and cover with a tight fitting lid. Leave the rice alone, covered and cooking for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes remove the lid, quickly stir through the prepared vegetables and beans. Cover and turn the heat off under the saucepan. Leave for 5 - 10 minutes for the vegetables and beans to warm through. Find and discard the thyme stalks before serving.

Bacon and Egg Pasta Salad

500g pasta

¼ cup mayonnaise

200g cooked bacon, finely diced

3 spring onions, finely sliced

1 clove garlic

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted

1 cup frozen sweetcorn, defrosted

4 hard boiled free range eggs

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and drain well. Mix through the mayo, cooked bacon, spring onions and peas until thoroughly combined. Slice the hard boiled eggs and top each serving with the sliced egg.

Tuna Fritters

250ml/½ cup milk
2 free range eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
400g tuna in water, well drained
150g frozen sweetcorn or peas, defrosted
1 courgette, grated and moisture squeezed out
1 carrot, grated
1 pepper, finely diced
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 Tblsp chopped fresh herbs, I usually use parsley or chives

Put the eggs and milk into a large bowl. Whisk until combined, then gently mix in the other ingredients until a batter forms. Put a frying pan over a moderate heat and grease with a little butter or oil. Pour ¼ cup portions of mixture into the frying pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the batter. Flip the fritters over then cook on the other side for a few minutes. This mixture usually makes around 15 fritters depending on size.

Egg Salad Sandwiches

5 hard boiled free range eggs
3 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
1 tor 2 Tblsp lemon juice
150g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted
1 tsp fresh chives, finely chopped

Using a fork, mash the egg and mayonnaise together until you get the texture you would like. We have ours slightly chunky but you can mash it until smoother if you prefer. Add lemon juice to taste then stir through the chives and sweetcorn. I like to add some freshly ground black pepper too.

Rice and Bean Bites

200g cooked white rice

400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed

2 carrots, grated

3 Tblsp tomato salsa

½ cup grated cheese

1 free range egg

1 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs

Preheat your oven to 200C and line a baking tray with non stick baking paper. Put all the ingredients except for the breadcrumbs into a food processor. Blend until combined. Alternatively put all the ingredients into a bowl and blend with a stick blender until smooth.

Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture in the breadcrumbs then put on to the prepared trays. Spray balls lightly with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully take the trays out of the oven, turn the balls over and spray again with a little cooking spray. Put back in the oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the outside is golden. Serve with salsa or your dip of choice.

Bacon and Potato Salad

1 kg baby potatoes, boiled or baked until tender
300g cooked bacon, diced
2 carrots, peeled and grated
250g frozen peas, defrosted

Dressing
5 Tblsp mayonnaise
1 - 2 tsp English mustard
1 Tblsp lemon juice (or more to taste)

Combine the potatoes, bacon, peas and grated carrot in a large bowl. Add the dressing and mix until evenly coated. Serve or refrigerate until required.

Couscous Salad

2 cups couscous
500ml/2 cups vegetable stock, made with freshly boiled water
2 carrots, grated
300g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 or 2 peppers, finely diced
250g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted
4 spring onions, finely sliced

Put the couscous into a large heatproof bowl, stir through the hot stock. Cover with clingfilm or a large plate and leave for 5 - 10 minutes. Uncover the couscous then stir through all the other ingredients. Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley to garnish.

Dinners

Homemade Pizzas

Slow cooker roast chicken with roast vegetable salad and greens

Chicken Noodle Bowls

Root Vegetable and Meatball Bake

Quick Butternut Squash and Lentil Curry with Onion Bhajis and Naan Breads

Meatball wraps with wilted spring greens

Homemade Fish and Chips

Shopping List

49 items: £74.08

Tins, Jars and Cooking

1x ASDA Smartprice Bolognese Sauce (440g) 42p

1x ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice (400g) 29p

1x ASDA Mild Salsa Dip (300g) 79p

1x ASDA Smartprice Mayonnaise (500g) 40p

1x ASDA Organic Mixed Beans (400g) 70p

1x Merchant Gourmet Ready to Eat Puy Lentils (250g) £2.00

1x KTC Coconut Milk (400ml) 50p

3x ASDA Tuna Chunks in Spring Water (160g) £2.67

1x ASDA Borlotti Beans in Water (400g) 55p

Frozen

1x ASDA Frozen for Freshness Mixed Vegetables (1Kg) 85p

1x ASDA Smartprice Peas (1Kg) 76p

1x ASDA Frozen for Freshness Sweetcorn (1Kg) 85p

1x ASDA Frozen for Freshness Berry Medley (1Kg) £2.75

1x ASDA Beef Meatballs (640g) £2.50

1x ASDA White Fish Fillets (540g) £2.50

Dairy and Eggs

3x ASDA Semi Skimmed Milk 6 Pints (3.41L) £4.44

1x ASDA Best for Baking Cakes Spread (500g) 85p

5x ASDA Smartprice Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g) £2.25

1x ASDA Free Range Mixed Weight Eggs (15) £2.00

1x ASDA Mature Cheddar Cheese - Light (750g) £3.65

Packets and Cereals

1x Silver Spoon Granulated Sugar (1Kg) 64p

1x ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg) 69p

1x ASDA Smartprice Self Raising Flour (1.5Kg) 45p

1x ASDA Smartprice Long Grain Rice (1Kg) 45p

1x ASDA Egg Noodles Medium (250g) 59p

1x ASDA Cous Cous (500g) 65p

1x Allinson Easy Bake Yeast (100g) 98p

2x ASDA Scottish Porridge Oats (1Kg) £1.78

Fruit and Vegetables

1x ASDA Grower's Selection British Spring Greens (500g) 68p

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Baby Potatoes (1Kg) 80p

25 ASDA Grower's Selection Bananas £2.70

25 ASDA Grower's Selection Royal Gala Apples £5.28

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Carrots (1Kg) 50p

1 ASDA Grower's Selection Butternut Squash by Weight (1.3Kg) 97.3p

4x ASDA Grower's Selection Whole Cucumber £2.00

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Celery 55p

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Garlic Loose 25p

2x ASDA Grower's Selection Courgettes (3) £2.40

2x ASDA Grower's Selection Spring Onions £1.10

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Sweet Potatoes (1Kg) £1.00

3x ASDA Grower's Selection Satsumas (600g) £3.00

4x ASDA Farm Stores Pears (500g) £3.20

1x ASDA Grower's Selection British Parsnips (500g) 65p

1x ASDA Farm Stores Brown Onions (1Kg) 55p

4x ASDA Farm Stores Cherry Tomatoes (250g) £2.00

1x ASDA Farm Stores White Potatoes (2.5Kg) £1.15

3x ASDA Farm Stores Mixed Peppers (3) £2.97

Meat, Fish and Poultry

2x ASDA Farm Stores Cooking Bacon (500g) £1.14

1x ASDA Butcher's Selection Whole Chicken (1.6Kg) £3.28

Prices and special offers reflect those of the Asda section of the online grocery website My Supermarket and are correct as of 28 May 2018. Prices may vary in different in-store locations.

We purchased our items from Asda via My Supermarket on 27th May 2018, had we shopped elsewhere our shopping would've cost:

£83.82 from Sainsburys

£87.69 from Morrisons

£88.76 from Tesco

£102.65 from Waitrose

My lovely blogging buddy Ciara from My Fussy Eater has created a fab Meal Planning Facebook Group so we can inspire each other. She also has a book, I have a copy and it is fab. You can order a copy for yourself here.

And Katykicker, and Naomi from The Organised Life Project have a Meal Planning Linky full of fabulous Meal Planning posts with lots of tasty ideas.

Thursday, 24 May 2018

Speed Baking - Versatile Vanilla Cookies

Who doesn't like a cookie with a well earned cuppa? I bake most days and this is one of my go to recipes for cookies which are tasty, easily adaptable, and quick to make. It's also a fab recipe for when children announce there is a bake sale the next day.

Versatile Vanilla Cookies

Makes about 30 cookies

225g butter, softened but not melted
140g sugar
1 free range egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
280g plain flour

Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla before stirring through the flour until completely combined.

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Mix through 150g chocolate chips. Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls, flatten slightly then place onto baking sheets lined with non stick baking paper - leaving room for the cookies to spread. Preheat your oven to 190C/170C Fan/375F/Gas Mark 5 and bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 - 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To make round or thumbprint cookies:

Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls, flatten slightly then make a dent with a spoon. Place on to trays lined with baking parchment, leaving room for the cookies to spread. Put a small dollop of jam, lemon curd, or chocolate spread into the indents.

Thanks so much to my perfectly manicured friend who was a hand model in exchange for cookies.

Preheat your oven to 190C/170C Fan/375F/Gas Mark 5 and bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool on the baking sheets for 5 - 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Rolled and cut out cookies:

If you want to make shaped cookies you will need to chill it first to make it easier to work with. Divide the mixture in half, shape into flat discs, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 - 60 minutes.

Roll out the dough between two sheets of non stick baking paper until it's about 3mm or 1/8 inch thick. cut out your shapes then carefully transfer them to lined baking sheets - leaving room for the cookies to spread.

Tuesday, 22 May 2018

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Sunday, 20 May 2018

OUR FAMILY MEAL PLAN FOR WEEK OF 21/05/18 - £70

We've got a busy week this week, and after going back to work this weekend I'm feeling knackered and uninspired as far as our Meal Plan goes. I'm sure we all have weeks where we're lacking in motivation and inspiration. Our freezer meal stocks are low because I used up most of them when recovering from surgery, and we defrosted the chest freezer whilst it was fairly empty.

This week we've the usual after school club, a school concert, a dental appointment for all four children, and a work meeting for me. I'll definitely be looking forward to the Bank Holiday Weekend coming up!

Breakfasts will be granola, yoghurt and fruit compote as that's worked well and everyone is happy to carry on having it weekday mornings. Weekend breakfasts will be crumpets and teacakes or pancakes.

Packed lunches will be falafel salad wraps and include a piece or two of fruit, crudites and a small baked treat for afters. Weekend lunches will be Twice Baked Potatoes and Quesadillas served with salad greens and crudites.

Dinners

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Nachos - Meatfree Monday

Homemade Pizzas with salad greens

Vegan Burgers with Sweet Potato Wedges

2 tins kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 onions, finely diced

2 peppers, finely diced

1 tsp chilli powder

200g fresh breadcrumbs

about 1kg sweet potatoes, for the wedges

Sauté the onion and pepper in a little oil for a couple of minutes until it softens then leave to cool for a bit. Mash the kidney beans with a potato masher, leave it a little lumpy – not too smooth. Add the cooled sautéed pepper and onion along with the breadcrumbs to the kidney beans and mix everything together thoroughly. Shape into 10 burgers and fry in a little oil for a couple of minutes on each side, until they’re golden brown. Then put them in the oven at 180C for about 10 minutes until completely cooked through.

Wash the sweet potatoes and cut them into wedges, not too thick. Put a little oil on your hands and rub the wedges so that they get lightly coated in the oil. To cook the wedges, bake them in the oven for about 25 - 30 minutes at 180C.

Serve the burgers in buns with salad greens and slices of tomato with wedges on the side. I sometimes sprinkle a little paprika and/or chilli powder over the wedges to give them a little more flavour.

Potato and Vegetable Bake with Sausages

Pasta with Tomato and Chorizo Sauce

500g wholewheat pasta

600g frozen mixed vegetables

225g chorizo, finely diced

1 or 2 onions, finely diced

2 peppers, diced (any colour will do)

2 x 400g chopped tomatoes

1 or 2 tsp dried mixed herbs

Cook 500g wholewheat pasta with 600g frozen mixed vegetables according to instructions on the pasta pack.

Put a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the chorizo. Cook, gently stirring, until the oil starts to run from the chorizo. Add the onion and peppers, and cook until the vegetables have softened and the chorizo is cooked through and starting to crisp up slightly. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and mix through the dried herbs. Simmer for around 10 - 15 minutes for the flavours to develop and the sauce to thicken slightly. Stir the sauce through the cooked pasta and vegetables.

Quinoa and Vegetable Curry

1 onion, finely sliced

2 peppers, deseeded and finely diced

4 Tblsp curry paste

400g can light coconut milk

400ml milk

750g frozen mixed vegetables

300g quinoa, rinsed

Put a large saucepan onto a moderate heat, add 2 Tblsp water then cook the onion, pepper and curry paste for about 5 minutes until the onion has softened. Add the milks to the pan and warm through for 5 minutes before adding the quinoa and vegetables. Bring everything to the boil and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes until the quinoa is cooked through. Season to taste and serve with rice or flatbreads.

Leftover Quinoa Curry Pasties

Leftover Quinoa and Vegetable Curry

2 sheets puff pastry

Preheat your oven to 200C

Cut each sheet of pastry into thirds. Put mounds of leftover curry on one half of each pastry third. Fold over the other half of the pastry third and crimp with a fork to seal the edges. Prick each pastry parcel with a fork so steam can escape during cooking.

Put on lined baking trays and cook for 20 - 25 minutes until the pastry is golden and crispy. Serve with mango chutney and steamed vegetables.

Shopping List

41 items: £69.70

Frozen

3x ASDA Frozen for Freshness Mixed Vegetables (1Kg) £2.55

1x ASDA Frozen for Freshness Sweetcorn (1Kg) 85p

1x ASDA Frozen for Freshness Berry Medley (1Kg) £2.75

Tins, Jars and Cooking

2x ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes (400g) 58p

2x ASDA Smartprice Red Kidney Beans in Water (400g) 60p

6x ASDA Chick Peas in Water (400g) £1.98

1x ASDA Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (200g) 37p

1x ASDA Curry Paste - Balti (200g) £1.00

1x KTC Coconut Milk (400ml) 50p

3x ASDA Chilli Beans in Chilli Sauce (390g) £1.95

Dairy and Eggs

2x ASDA Semi Skimmed Milk 6 Pints (3.41L) £2.96

1x ASDA Free Range Large Eggs (6) £1.00

5x ASDA Smartprice Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g) £2.25

1x ASDA Mature Cheddar Cheese - Light (750g) £3.65

Packets and Cereals

1x ASDA Strong White Bread Flour (1.5Kg) 69p

1x ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg) 69p

1x ASDA Quinoa (300g) £1.29

2x ASDA Ready Rolled Light Puff Pastry (375g) £2.00

2x ASDA Scottish Porridge Oats (1Kg) £1.78

Meat, Fish and Poultry

1x ASDA Farm Stores Cooking Bacon (500g) 57p

1x ASDA Extra Special Chorizo Casero Sausage (225g) £1.85

1x ASDA Extra Special Pork Sausages (10 per pack - 750g) £4.00

Fruit and Vegetables

30 ASDA Grower's Selection Bananas by Weight (200g) £3.00

25 ASDA Grower's Selection Royal Gala Apples £4.56

3x ASDA Grower's Selection Carrots (1Kg) £1.50

4x ASDA Grower's Selection Whole Cucumber £2.00

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Iceberg Lettuce 50p

2x ASDA Grower's Selection Celery £1.10

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Courgettes (3) £1.20

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Spring Onions 55p

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Sweet Potatoes (1Kg) £1.00

1x ASDA Grower's Selection Oranges Extra Juicy (2Kg) £2.00

2x ASDA Grower's Selection Pears (1.2Kg) £4.00

2x ASDA Grower's Selection Broccoli (360g) £1.10

1x ASDA Farm Stores Brown Onions (1Kg) 59p

2x ASDA Farm Stores Cherry Tomatoes (250g) £1.06

2x ASDA Farm Stores White Potatoes (2.5Kg) £2.50

2x ASDA Farm Stores Round Lettuce 80p

3x ASDA Farm Stores Mixed Peppers (3) £2.97

Bakery

4x ASDA Mexican Style Wholemeal Tortillas (8) £3.00

Snacks and Sweets

1x ASDA Smartprice Tortilla Chips - Lightly Salted (180g) 41p

Prices and special offers reflect those of the online grocery website My Supermarket, and are correct as of 19th May 2018. Prices may vary in different in-store locations.

We purchased our groceries from Asda via My Supermarket, had we shopped elsewhere our items would've cost:

£77.62 from Morrisons

£79.72 from Saunsbury's

£84.87 from Tesco

£90.34 from Ocado

£91.25 from Waitrose